We have a diversified culture in the city. From conservative mariamman koozhu culture to pub culture

City caters to a diversified population with varying cultural/religious/language background. I think a seperate thread is required to show the cosmopolitain nature of the city. I am throwing in hospitality industry on this topic too since they reflect the cosmopolitainess to some degree.

So keep it coming

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

The seventh edition of The Hindu MetroPlus Lifestyle Show offers a wholesome shopping experience

Looking to furnish your home with attractive décor? Or, do you harbour a shopping addiction? If yes, head straight to the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, Avanashi Road, for the seventh edition of The Hindu MetroPlus Lifestyle Show. The fair, which has been a phenomenal success over the years, accommodates everything one might need to set up a home — furniture, kitchenware, wall décor, carpets, floor mats, bedspreads and curtains, figurines of gods, shoe racks and what not!

There's a happy familiarity at the show. Salesmen dish out chappati after chappati from their roti makers, tandoor-sellers grill yummy treats and the saunf-wala urges you to try out an array of churans, golis and saunf. There is also a genial maami who can coax you into buying her curtains, pillow covers, bedspreads, quilts and purses with her saccharine ‘vaango' and ‘kanna'. A no-nonsense salesman does not believe in small talk. He swiftly unpacks a murukku maker from the box and explains, “One machine, 15 types of plate. One plate, three design. So, 15 plate, 45 design, madam.”

The best part about The Hindu MetroPlus Lifestyle Show is that there's something for everyone in the family. For the kids, there are colourful smiley flowers, game and rhyme CDs, and blow pens. For teenagers, there are stalls brimming with baubles, footwear, kurtas and bags. (PS: If you are looking to refrain from indulging in goodies made of jute, stay away from the ‘Jute Rocks' section put up by the National Jute Board. PPS: It is a losing battle) What is a fair without sari stalls? From simple cotton saris to designer wear, there's an exciting range on sale. The Maruti Suzukis, Tata Nanos, Fords, Hyundais and Yamahas are bound to make men go weak in the knees. Grandmothers will be in for a treat this year as there are stalls housing vilakkus and figurines of gods. Don't forget to take a glimpse at the Buddha figurine in the stall selling brass artefacts. The idol has the entire story of Buddha's life engraved in it.

Regulars such as the Rajasthani pickle seller and the Karachi onyx artefacts seller are present this year too. The Style Saintz calls out to all the women in love with shiny crockery — made of aluminium alloy and brass with silver plating, the colourful serving bowls and plates are a treat to look at. Of course, there are vegetable peelers, floor mops, dusters, mixers, massage chairs, photo frames, mobile pouches and fitness equipment on sale too. The aroma of bajjis and chaat is bound to haunt you as you make your way to the end of the exhibition. But do not let it take over your senses till you've seen a very special pavilion — whose walls are dotted with photos from The Hindu's archives.

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

Shree Coimbatore Gujarati Samaj was established in 1942 by a small group of Gujaratis who had settled here and made Coimbatore their home. In its initial years, the Samaj celebrated festivals like the Gujarati New Year, Navaratri, Sharad Purnima etc. with get-togethers and cultural programmes. It also started a school, which blossomed into the Shree Baldevdas Kikani Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School and Matriculation School. The Samaj had its own building at Syrian Church Road with a library.

In the year 1970-71 the Samaj celebrated its Silver Jubilee. A Silver Jubilee Fund was created, out of which 78 cents land on Mettupalayam Road was purchased. In the year 1981 the Genderal Body took a decision to construct a building over the new land. By the year 1984, a building of 35,000 sq. ft came up and it was appropriately named 'GUJARATI SAMAJ BHAVAN'. Now the Samaj, as well as its members, could conduct a number of programmes and even hold marriages, receptions, meetings, cultural programmes etc. in the Bhavan building. These facilities are also open for use by the general public.

1991-92 was the Golden Jubilee year of the Samaj. A year long celebration was organized with programs every month. Participation in the celebration was from all over India. The Gujarati Sahitya Parishad was also hosted then. All in all, it was a sterling presentation of Gujarati Culture, Competition and Co-operation. In its Golden Jubilee year the Samaj also started the Gujarati Mutual Welfare Society to inculcate the habit of saving amongst its members. The society has over thousand recurring deposit accounts and lends funds worth lakhs of rupees to hundreds of its members for their regular needs.

The Samaj also has a Ladies Wing (Mahila Mandal) and a Youth Wing (Yuvak Mandal). There are 30 other Gujarati Associations affiliated to our Samaj.

The Samaj regularly carries out various Cultural and Social activities throughout the year. It also helps poor and needy families by way of educational aid, medical aid, rent relief and essential commodities relief etc.. During natural calamities like floods, famine, earthquake etc., the Samaj is ever helpful to the affected people. ‘KOVAI NAGAR’, a cluster of 43 independent houses built for the earthquake affected families of Bhuj, Kachchh in Gujarat is a shining example of the services rendered by our Samaj. All these expenses are met from the donations and advertisement releases by philanthropists and business houses like your good selves.

The year 2003 was the Diamond Jubilee year of the Samaj. On this occasion, the Samaj expanded its Gujarati Samaj Bhavan by another 25,000 sq. ft. The Samaj now has several Halls, a beautiful Guest House and facilities for organizing Marriages, Receptions, Conferences, Meetings, Seminars, Workshops, Exhibitions etc., under one roof in the heart of the city. It is a boon for Coimbatore to have such multi-utility facilities available under one roof.

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

Rajasthani Sangh, Coimbatore is a non-profit service organization involved in social welfare activities and services to the needy people of any caste, creed & community. It was formed in the year 1972 with six members as a Charitable Trust with an universal motto “SARVE JANA SUKHINO BHAWANTHU” by a handful of people of Rajasthan origin with the main objective of service to the needy. Today, the number of Members have grown nearing 2700 (as on 31-12-08) and more than two lakhs members belonging to our Sangh residing in and around Coimbatore all with the same motive and goal.

Rajasthani Sangh is very unique in itself and one of the first organization in India formed by the people of Coimbatore from the Rajasthan origin and from all walks of life.

Rajasthanis are always in the lead to serve the needy and for charities and through this channel we are proving that we are in the lead to serve the Society.

The Sangh adhere to the principles of secular humanism, social justice & sustainable development for our bright future.

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

Here is a news on planned x-mas celebrations at cbe. Holy cowu, I never knew so much variety existed for folks there now . Enjoy!! Hope this new year is the beginning for cosmo lifestyle with so much options to choose from

COIMBATORE: The All Souls Church in Race Course will have two prayer sessions on the eve of Christmas, one in the afternoon and the other in the evening, apart from the midnight service session.

"Two days prior to Christmas, gifts and food packets are distributed to destitute kids from across the city. A puppet show and a cultural program are arranged for them," said Rev Father Joshua Karamchander of All Souls church. Furthermore, he added that Christmas cakes and book marks will be given to Race Course pedestrians in front of their church.

All top hotels in Coimbatore are geared up for Christmas, providing customers with special buffets and romantic dinners alongside the pool. The Residency has organized several special events in celebration of the festive spirit.

At the Pavillion, the ambience is American, and the events organized include tattooing and face painting. At Bike & Barrel, where they will serve Mexican and Italian food, the atmosphere is French. The disco jockey for this session is DJ Bett.

While Chin Chin has traditional Chinese drinks, the restaurant by the pool will serve Caribbean food with kababs, biryani and complementary wine. The House of Lords bar will play popular Hindi and Tamil songs.

The Park Plaza's coffee shop is decorated with red and white colours. A candle light dinner is set up for the Christmas Eve here and arrangements are made for gifts to be given to kids by Santa Claus.

"As a brand, we are always try to bring something new to the city. This being the first Christmas in the city, we have attempted to target customers of all ages. The celebrations in Le Meridian started in mid December and will continue until the new year," said Sanjay Gupta, General Manager of Le Meridian.

Imported spirits will be available at discounted prices and traditional Christmas dishes like Roast Turkey, Suckling Pig, Plum Pudding, Yule Log and a 4 course Christmas dinner will be available. A poolside romantic dinner for couples is also on the list. The hotel has to its credit, the display of the tallest Christmas tree in the city, which measures 30.4 feet high and 12 feet wide circumference at the bottom.

The resorts located at the Tamil Nadu border have no plans owing to the Mullaperiyar dam row. Card companies are doing good business this season. "We have witnessed a 25% growth this year compared to last year," said B Gopinath, show room manager of Archies gift shop.

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

I spent the fifteen minute ride from Coimbatore airport to the new Le Méridien fidgeting in anticipation of what I would find. Having spent almost two months at their Bangalore property many years ago, I was curious to see what had changed since Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. acquired the brand in 2005. Le Méridien in Bangalore was my home for a while, but would this newcomer foster the same feeling of belonging?

As it turned out, the staff at the hotel too is preoccupied with the same thing. They greet you in a friendly way while you notice all the artwork that surrounds you and offer you one of their signature Eye-Openers, a shot glass filled with a concoction of mango juice and chilli or raspberry and pineapple juice with a hint of clove. After the instant buzz, you are given your room key, a card specially designed by the brand's art associates, which you can keep as a souvenir. With so much to absorb within the first five minutes, I was given no time to feel lost or alone.

Arty issues

Le Méridien was founded by Air France in 1972. After having changed hands a few times, it was bought up by Starwood Hotels & Resorts with the aim of reworking the brand and creating a whole new concept of hotel luxury. The Coimbatore property is the 100th Le Méridien worldwide and the first luxury hotel in the South Indian city, all set to change the city's landscape. While the outer façade of the hotel is not particularly impressive, it is an altogether different story inside. The lobby walls are decorated in bright murals depicting scenes from the Tamil Nadu countryside, as each Le Méridien tries to incorporate the local flavour in its design. The Hub, which is the interactive area in the lobby is inviting with its interesting bookcase, playful silver elephant figures, brightly coloured S-shaped couch and coffee bar. The Hub had been designed to appeal to the curious and artistic client, who makes the most of the coffeehouse style atmosphere. But the cynosure of the lobby and indeed the hotel is the beautiful chandelier that drops down from the eighth floor, made in Italy and touted to be the longest chandelier in Asia. The light sparkles and bounces off this piece of art and is itself a conversation starter. The capiz shell chandeliers, bright carpets and the Soundscape music system in the elevators appeal to all your senses. They even have a particular woody scent designed for the hotel which is sprayed in the lobby!

The focus here is on art and its influence on people. Each design element has been chosen keeping in mind the need to inspire the guest. This explains the art gallery present on the ground floor, part of Le Méridien's Unlock Art initiative.

The rooms

The hotel is situated in a largely agricultural area, so the rooms overlook cultivated land and coconut groves and in the early morning, the greenery reveals its beautiful inhabitants. Peacocks saunter out into the sunshine and ruffle their feathers, but sadly not one put on a display while I gaped from my window. I was informed by a housekeeping associate that these majestic birds are found in plenty in Coimbatore and frequent the hotel premises. Once you tear your city-bred eyes away from these creatures, you will notice the funky design of the room. Dark wood everywhere, a large white bed and a comfy leather chair and ottoman are contrasted with bright red stripes on the carpet and a pop red leather writing chair. Le Méridien offers guests a choice of 254 rooms and suites, including Royal Club Rooms, Deluxe suites and the beautifully designed Tamil Nadu Suite. Some of the rooms have quotes from the Thirukural on the walls to continue the connection with the local culture. The Tamil Nadu Suite is opulent and inspired by Chettinadu houses of old. Intricately carved wood covers the cabinets and door frames while a wooden swing with gold-tinted handles drops gently from the ceiling in the living area.

Foodie's paradise

There is food everywhere you look in this hotel. You can start with the complimentary mango chilli kalakand placed in your room (enclosed in a paper cover on which the recipe is printed) and move on to snacks and coffee at the Illy Café in the lobby. For heartier meals, try Peacock which serves authentic Indian cuisine. The restaurant is decked out in gold-hued fabrics and cutlery with a private room furnished in the colours of the peacock. The Dal Bhukara was delicious as was the Paneer Pukhtan kebab. But the dish that outshined them all was the Murgh Awadhi Biryani, which was full of flavour and delicately fragrant rice.

Drinks at the Latitude Bar are the usual, with Cosmos and Mojitos flowing freely. For Italian cuisine, guests can stroll into Favola by the poolside. Rustic décor gives the feel of an Italian home and the menu features classic Italian fare, with the now-popular wood fire oven for authentic pizzas. Ponzu, the Asian restaurant offers cuisines from Mongolia, Japan, China and many more Far Eastern countries. Try their signature sizzling Phuket baked fish or seafood Taro Pot. Asian chandeliers, German wood flooring and bamboo glasses complete the trip to the East. For a truly private experience, book the table on the connecting bridge between the two restaurants. If your stomach is still not satisfied, you can always grab a snack at Latest Recipe, the all-day dining restaurant. The live counters and resplendent gazebo with onyx pillars grab your attention as you walk in. A trip to the plush and private cigar bar will be the perfect end to your busy evening.

With so much to see, eat and experience, Le Méridien Coimbatore seems insistent on getting the guest to open up their senses. Add to it great weather and soft-spoken people and it could be a winning formula.

What: The new Le Méridien hotel

Where: Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

How much: Rs 10,000 onwards per room per night

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

Cheer up folks. There is a new address in town. It goes by the name, That's Y On the Go, but, rest assured it is not a mere take away. On Race Course, a cobbled drive way leads you to the restaurant, that is well hidden from the main road. A big plate glass façade reveals clean lines, bright lights and a cheerful and welcoming ambience. It's different. There are informal wooden tables with bench-like seating, as well as pockets of blue where you could sink into sofas and eat. A pleasant sound of clinking glasses and chatter fills the room. We are shown our table next to the ‘family wall' as the owner of the restaurant Ranjana explains. It is covered with family snaps; kids, uncles, aunts, grandparents, parents, friends and so on.

Family ties

Even the menu reflects the family and friends touch. There is a Shivani's Roll, a Preeti's Nachos and an Anoushka Cake. “I couldn't have done it without their support,” explains Ranjana, in between taking orders and greeting the diners.

Those of us who have lived long enough in Coimbatore and know Ranjana's other place, That's Y Food should have no qualms about eating here. “But, please note that this one offers a completely different menu,” she says as we search in vain for our usual fix of Veg platter and mud pie. Indeed, the food is very different. Mostly continental, there is a satisfying choice of pastas, and bruschettas, starters and desserts. Ranjana looks pleased as she tells us how some regulars at That's Y Food landed up on the opening day and expected to be served the same food. They were persuaded to try out the new menu which they did and at the end of it told a very nervous Ranjana, “Though we can't pronounce half the dishes on the menu, we loved the food!”

The menu card matches the tone of the restaurant. It is informal and cheeky and fun to go through. It carries helpful tips on how to pronounce some of the dishes. For example when you read “Lavache” you know it is to be pronounced as Laavaash! Or, how ‘Ratatouille' is supposed to sound when you order it out loud.

There are little asides that urge you to try a particular dish over the other. Some of the dishes have ‘It's gooood' next to them. At one place there is a highly diverting note that says “I find it very strange when people don't ask for specials…you don't know what you are missing out. Please ask for the specials”.

The Smooshies are smoothies spelt differently! We try out the banana walnut and honey one. We also down the exotic Hibiscus drink (very Pondicherry) and ginger nectar. Misshapen whole potatoes called ‘Bashed up potatoes' arrive as starters. Bashed up or not, they are quite delicious with cheese and herbs. A colourful salad, with feta cheese served alongside, is as pleasing to the eye as it is to taste. “The pastas are doing well,” says Ranjana. And indeed, with cheese, and fresh herbs and crisp vegetables, why shouldn't they be?

Taste the world

There are Falafals, Moroccan specialties, Cajun dishes, Sri Lankan Pol Sambol, grilled fish served with Wasabi, and a fragrant saffron chicken (these come served with butter parsley rice), along with a whole bunch of other stuff that one sees and hears of on the Travel and Living Channel! Oh yes, there are waffles too, God Bless them. It is a hundred-cover restaurant and for the moment is open only for dinner. Located at 167 Race Course (near Photo Centre), it is shut on Wednesdays. For reservations and details call 0422 4520116-7.

The perky yellow kiosk has suddenly mushroomed at various places around Coimbatore. Idly Hut, it says, and for such a small outlet, it seems to be doing brisk business and is often sold out by the time it is 8 p.m or so — a certain indication o f success.
Like mom’s kitchen

A brainchild of C.A Murali Krishna and his wife Srilatha, who started this fast food venture about a year ago, Idly Hut now boasts of a restaurant too. Located on Rajaji Street, next to Kannan Stores and Sri Krishna Sweets, just off Cross-cut road, the recently opened eatery has already won itself a regular clientele.

“We have some families who frequent us almost three to four times a week,” says the soft-spoken director, Murali Krishna.

Not surprising, as Idly Hut serves the no-nonsense kind of wholesome food quite reasonably priced too. Of course, a purist looking for a true-blue traditional idly experience may look askance at the Noodles Dosa on the menu card, but Srilatha says that is there for a reason. “When families come with their kids and we serve nothing but the idly-dosai menu, they may not want to come back. So, we have dishes, like the aforementioned dosa, paneer , mushroom sevai, French fries and so on,” she explains.

Coming back to idlys, there is a variety — like the ragi idly, kambu idly and of course the Kanchi and Rava idly (a great hit).

“There is much demand for vadaa curry, too, “ says Srilatha. Vadaa curry is medu vadaa interestingly re cycled into a gravy dish. The dosas are nicely crisp and golden. There are more ideas in the pipeline. Murali Krishna says that in time they plan to have a curry counter.
Curry flavours

“We will have old favourites like ennai kathirikkai, moru kolumbu, and avial , and so on. Even bachelors who are living by themselves can just cook themselves rice and come and get a curry of their choice and make a meal of it.” Idly Hut also delivers. While that is a service they have just started, they plan to expand. “There is no minimum amount you have to order for it to be delivered. Whether it is one plate of idlys or 25 plates, we just charge Rs 10 as delivery charges,” he says.

Idly Hut serves a mini meal, constituting a chappathi with a curry, curd rice, two other varieties of rice, a sweet and papad. At Rs 30 it is quite a bargain. It undertakes bulk orders too. For a festive occasion, recently, it dished out 250 kilos of shakkara pongal! “Recently a lady came and picked up 40 idlys”, says Srilatha sounding genuinely surprised. One can imagine what a godsend Idly Hut can be to counter unexpected guests.

While there is a steady trickle of customers right from the mornings when they open at 6.30 a.m (a lot of school kids and walkers who drop in for a cup of coffee after their morning constitution), the place comes really alive in the evenings with the youngsters and the shoppers and children trooping in.

Idly Hut is all vegetarian and is open till 10 p.m.

For further details contact: 6453333/9842277553

P.S Do ask for their Andhra allam chutney. It is delicious.

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

For all those who were complaining that the closest one got to Italian cuisine in town was the softies on the roadside, here’s good news. After setting foot across the country, Little Italy is here. And, how!
Enchanting place

The quiet restaurant is a welcome contrast to the chaotic milieu of Trichy Road, near which it is situated. Undertones of blue and amber for the walls, straight-line furniture, framed pictures and low-volume music lend an enchanting charm to the place. The picture of a bow-shaped pasta on the coasters and Thomas Carlyle’s quote on the napkins are a cute touch. After taking in the ambience, we order the menu. Browse through, and you know why the menu bagged the Best Menu Card Award in 1999. It feels like a diary, running to several pages. Open it, and you find a sliver of Italy on each page: black-and-white pictures of Venice, Michelangelo’s sculptures, the leaning tower of Pisa, to name a few.

And, now, the food. First Antipasti, the starters. Choose from 14 of them, from the basic garlic bread to Pale Di Potato, which is marinated crispy potato skins served with garlic mayonnaise sauce. Prices start at Rs. 55. Move on to Zuppe, the soups. Select from six of them, including vegetable, mushroom, tomato, broccoli and asparagus.

Now to the interesting part. Pizzas! As Italian food is quintessentially pizzas and pastas, you can take your pick from 22 wood burn pizzas. Look out for some of the delightful names: Nirvana, Bombay, Margherita, Sicilia and Pavarotti. And, don’t forget, there are over ten toppings. Then to follow are the Primi Piatti (first course) and Secondi Piatti (second course). Go insane trying to select from a mind boggling range of pastas. Finish the Italian fare with a whole range of desserts, coffee, coolers, juices and mocktails. They also serve Mexican specialities. Wheat pasta and Jain food too are provided on request.

Of course, we will not step out before tasting the food ourselves. We start with munchies – Nachos with cheese sauce; then bite into Crostini Vesuvio - farmer’s bread grilled and topped with a coat of tomato sauce and melted cheese; followed by two pizzas – Indian – spicy tomato sauce with a sprinkling of Italian herbs, mozzarella, onion and capsicum; Tre pepperoni – with a generous mix of tomato sauce, mozzarella, red, yellow and green capsicum and Tobasco; All Arrabbiata – tomato sauce, garlic, chilli and parsley; Pasta Del Barone (noble sauce with bechemelle, tomato sauce, red chilli and parmesan cheese). And finish it off with delicious cream pudding with caramel.

Little Italy is behind the NEPC Building, next to Krishna Sweets House. Peppers, an Indian and Chinese restaurant (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) will be opened on the premises shortly. Little Italy is open from noon to 3.30 p.m. and from 6.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. For details, call 0422 – 4529229 / 4516159.

__________________To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire

People are joining some broken stones into groups as 7stones. is this any rituals

__________________TRICHY - Ancient city with modern outfit

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